mitzipurr

There has been a lot of press in the UK about faulty gas appliances and how a Carbon Monoxide machine can detect if you have a leak.

Does anyone know if you can buy such a detector here in Spain???

jdr

Try HERE I think they would sell them in the plumbers merchants.

mitzipurr

Thanks very much JDR helpfull as always.

jdr

No problem, glad to help.
I think the main danger is from badly serviced heaters etc and blocked flues, and mains gas.
I dont know if it applies to Butano as I dont think they would sell the portable heaters if it was a problem ?

EsuriJohn

Hi mitzipurr,

I bought one for each of my children's houses from Lidl for about £30. They come in as the weekly offer from time to time. But don't delay if they are not around they are worth almost any price so go where they are in stock today.

Regards, :scared:

John.

jdr

Good info on HERE

YMF

I have discovered that they are very hard to source, certainly in this part of Spain. Before I came to live here part of my job was to work with the dti to run CO awareness campaigns.
I have recently been speaking to one of my former associates about the issues here, his company have been trying to supply CO detectors in Spain for some time, they keep being told by spanish retailers that there is no demand. A good reliable CO detector is around £35 so they are not cheap which is possibly part of the problem.

Locally a member of staff in Higinio told me that they are often asked for them but dont stock them! She also told me that in Spain CO poisoning is called the sweet death.

We recently had our boiler serviced and like others discovered that the CO sensor had been disabled and the flue incorrectly fitted. I will be passing on this information to former work colleagues but dont hold your breath for anything to be done about it!

Yvonne

j0197

I was just going to ask the same thing!

Clive C

I got ours off eBay, good price, ex-B&Q stock, fully sealed etc.

mitzipurr

Thanks JDR very interesting.

I had no idea that a wood burning stove emitted these dangerous fumes. I wonder just how many people are using one now in the winter in Spain unaware of the danger through a incorrect flue or installation. We did have one and I used to fall asleep in front of it but put it down to how warm and cosy it was. Now I wonder?

jdr

There is something to be said for a badly fitting door or window
The main danger is lack of oxygen getting into the room and the CO taking over.
The trouble is you cant see it or smell it, and like you say you just sit there warm and cozy watching the TV and possibly doze off to sleep. The terrible thing is that if you get enough into your blood, even if you are rescued, they can do nothing to reverse the effects.
Always leave some sort of vent or window open to let in oxygen, make sure the flues are clean and drawing the fumes out. Just hold a piece of lit paper near it and it should draw the smoke up, or if you are rich you can buy smoke matches or tablets you light to test it.
The first double glazing units always had vents in them but you dont see them with vents now.
If you went anywhere in most European countries and checked the installations against the British CORGI recomendations most would be in breach of loads of regulations and disconnected immediately.

YMF

Another useful website is this one http://www.co-gassafety.co.uk

mikelincs

Anything that burns will give off Carbon Monoxide if there is insufficient air supply, in the UK all central heating/water heaters that use gas have to have a suitable air flow in the room they are installed in, and sufficient ventilation, CO is created as anything burns, so blocking the flue will cause a build up no matter how efficeint the burner is, keep your chimney protected from birds nesting etc. I've seen the detectors in Carrefour and buliders merchants here in Spain.

Carol&John

Hi folks,
Please read this info about the signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning:
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles...?articleId=417
This type of poisoning can be insidious, and many do not know it is happening to them until it is too late! Don't forget, it can harm pets, too.
Regards,
Carol

mitzipurr

Thank you to all so far for excellent posts and interesting information. Does anyone know if Air Conditioning heating wall mounted units are dangerous also??